Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0033’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0033’ particularly distinguished by the light to mid green foliage with soft salmon colored inflorescences, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0033’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0033’.

‘PEQZ0033’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0033’ has salmon colored inflorescences held above the light-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

‘PEQZ0033’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in June 2009 in a greenhouse in Guatemala. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10904-1’ with coral color florets and smaller leaves when compared to ‘PEQZ0033’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0033’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10942-1’ with more apple blossom colored florets and darker leaves compared to ‘PEQZ0033’. The resultant seed was sown in January 2010.

‘PEQZ0033’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in April 2010 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0033’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the June 2010 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in August 2010 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0033’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0033’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not been applied for. ‘PEQZ0033’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0033’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0033’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1, 3 flowering plants of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in late May 2017 under natural light. These plants were approximately 12-14 weeks old and were grown in a 4.5 inch pots, in a greenhouse trial. The plants shown in the photographs were about 16 weeks old. The photographs were taken in June 2017.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0033’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘PEQZ0001’ (U.S. Plant ‘PEQZ0033’ Pat. No. 24,736) Floret size: Larger Smaller Floret petal color: Salmon Hot Pink Umbel diameter size: 4 inches 3 inches Leaf color: Light Green Darker Green

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, vigorous spreading and             rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with             continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema             tolerance, well-branched plant habit.         -   Plant height.—20-25 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—25-30 cm.         -   Plant width.—40-45 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 144A center of leaf             and RHS 143A on the perimeter.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 144A.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137B with             slightly lighter mottling.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137C.         -   Length.—10-13 cm.         -   Width.—11-14 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—None.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole length.—8-10 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—7.         -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144A and RHS 144B.         -   Length of stem.—10-16 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.7-0.9 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—2-4 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 137C.         -   Length of peduncle.—17-19 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—Between RHS 145A and RHS 145B.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.0-2.5 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.1-0.15 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hairs. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—Between RHS 41A and 41B with some petals overlain             with RHS155D.         -   Length.—1.58 cm.         -   Width.—1.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—1 open with 4-5 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—7.5-8.0 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—5.5-6.0 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi Double.         -   Number of petals.—8.         -   Diameter of flower.—3.5-5.0 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 55A with             veining of RHS 51A becoming indistinct.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 55A with             RHS51A veining becoming indistinct.         -   Length of upper petals.—2.5 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—2.5-2.7 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Between RHS 55A/B with             some lighter areas.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 55B             overlain with RHS 155D over middle third of petal.         -   Length of lower petals.—2.5 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—2.5-2.7 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144A.         -   Length of sepals.—1.4-1.6 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—0.8 cm.         -   Style color.—Closest to RHS 155C.         -   Style length.—0.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 41C.         -   Ovary color.—Between RHS 144A.         -   Ovary length.—0.4 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.15-0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—7.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 39D at very tip with RHS 155D             basally.         -   Length filaments.—0.7 cm.         -   Anther color.—Closest to RHS165A.         -   Length of anthers.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 25B.         -   Pollen amount.—Normal.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0033’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 